What? You say that lazy, somewhat silly, and bad-tempered guy at home has superpowers? Yes, you heard right. Although cats always show an indifferent, detached attitude at home, this is very likely a disguise they create to hold back their big moves. Some cats’ abilities exceed our imagination, possessing skills that humans do not, often surprising us in daily life.

　　Night vision is one of the common superpowers of cats; they can see through the dark night. Because cats have a mirror-like membrane behind their eyes, they can move and hunt in nearly complete darkness. This membrane is called the “tapetum lucidum.” When light passes through the retina, this reflective membrane refracts the light back through the retina, allowing their eyes to capture it and thus see things in the dark.

　　Secondly, cats have a “sensing ability” that humans do not possess, often regarded as psychic powers. According to the British Daily Mail, although “psychic” abilities still lack concrete scientific explanation, many mysterious legends and phenomena that cannot be scientifically explained make it hard to believe psychic powers are mere nonsense. Famous British biologist and writer Rupert Sheldrake has recorded many puzzling animal behaviors.

　　He wrote in his book: “My neighbor is a widow whose son makes a living on a commercial fleet. The son never tells his mother the exact return date after finishing work at sea, fearing delays might cause the old mother great worry. Yet, the old lady can always know in advance when her son will return—and the reason is the cat they keep! The cat is very attached to its young master. One to two hours before the young master arrives, the cat sits by the door and meows loudly nonstop as if its sixth sense can perceive the young master is on the way home. Whenever this happens, the old lady knows the son will return soon and prepares everything. Basically, the cat’s every message does not disappoint the owners.”

　　Sheldrake believes that “cats sensing their owners coming home” is just one of many animal sensing cases. Telephone surveys in the UK and US show that besides pet cats, domestic dogs, parrots, horses, and even ferrets and pet lambs and geese have shown similar “telepathic” events. Among dog owners surveyed, 50% said their dogs had the “superpower” to predict the return of family members, while the proportion for pet cats was 30%.

　　According to Sheldrake’s research, many cats seem to have extrasensory abilities. For example, they appear to sense when their owners are about to take them to the vet and hide beforehand, so the owner soon gets tired of this “hide and seek” game and eventually gives up the plan.

　　Psychic abilities are also shown in some cats predicting death. An American nursing home cat named “Oscar” has the ability to foresee human death. It stays by patients’ side during their final moments until they pass away.

　　This was first discovered by Brown University geriatrician and associate professor Dr. David Dosa. Dr. Dosa said, “In the past six years, Oscar’s predictions have almost never failed. This is definitely not pure coincidence.” Later, Dr. Dosa wrote a book based on his experiences with Oscar at the nursing home—The Cat That Predicted Death: Oscar, which mainly describes how Oscar chooses specific patients to stay with, and these patients usually die shortly afterward. Even when locked out, Oscar scratches the door trying to get in. However, the book does not offer any scientific explanation for this “superpower.” It only suggests that, like dogs sensing cancer, Oscar may be sensitive to ketones, which are odors emitted by dying cells.

　　Though some doubt it as learned behavior in special environments, other five cats in the nursing home did not show similar behaviors.

　　The above skills might be uncommon and rare, so what common superpowers do cats generally have?

　　1. Cats walk silently with a straight-line gait to approach prey. The pads on their feet are the second essential condition for feline hunters and also protect their claws. When runway models alternate their feet hitting the midpoint line, it looks like a cat walking, hence the runway walk is nicknamed “catwalk.”

　　2. It is said cats have nine lives, perhaps because they are tenacious and survive great dangers. Even when falling from height, cats can land safely thanks to their spine and tail. Feline spines are very flexible, spring-like and stretchable. When chasing prey at 60 km/h, cheetahs can make sharp turns accurately, with their tails acting like a gyroscope to keep balance. Cats can adjust their posture mid-fall to ensure four paws land first and cushion the impact.

　　3. Latest scientific research found cats have self-healing abilities, which might be another reason cats survive challenges. When resting, cats often purr in their throats. American scientists found these purrs range about 27 to 44 decibels and aid in healing and strengthening the body. This discovery offers new ideas for doctors, and scientists are exploring using sound waves to treat human osteoporosis.